Essential core competencies for health tourism graduates: a scoping review

Abstract

Education in the field of health tourism can act as an effective driver of the development and prosperity of this industry. By providing appropriate educational platforms, it is possible to improve the quality of services, increase the trust of medical tourists, and improve the performance of activists in this field. Targeted education will empower human resources, strengthen administrative infrastructure, and create new capacities to attract health-oriented tourists. As a result, investment in education can play a key role in economic growth, improving the international status and sustainability of the health tourism industry. This article describes a set of core skills and competencies that are essential for health tourism graduates. This scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework and reported according to PRISMA-ScR standards. A systematic search of four major databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar alongside global university curricula was performed through December 2025. Eligibility screening followed the PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) criteria. Extracted data were inductively coded and thematically categorized into core competencies relevant to health tourism education and practice. Analysis of nine peer-reviewed studies and five international university curricula identified six essential competencies, which were consolidated into three strategic competency domains:1- Relational and Soft Competencies (communication and marketing), 2-Structural and Operational Competencies (management and business/financial competencies), and 3-Protective and Domain-Specific Competencies (ethical–legal competence and medical tourism knowledge). This synthesized framework highlights the multidimensional nature of health tourism practice, demonstrating how effective service delivery depends on the integration of interpersonal capability, operational and organizational proficiency, and adherence to professional and regulatory safeguards. This study proposes a novel three-domain competency model that effectively aligns academic preparation with industry expectations. The results indicate that cultivating a professional workforce in health tourism requires an integrated development of relational, structural, and protective competencies. The resulting framework provides a strategic foundation for policy-makers and educational institutions seeking to harmonize and standardize health tourism curricula at a global level.